City Cast Portland
Why e-bikes might get cheaper in Portland
May 16, 2023
Hello! A reminder: Today’s Election Day, and I still have to figure out where I put ballot (or go in before 8 p.m. to cast my vote). Here’s a run-down of some of the issues on the ballot in Multnomah County if you missed it. (And here’s where to drop your ballot.)
What's CITY Talking About?
Less Money for Road Maintenance
The Oregon Department of Transportation is facing declining revenues from the gas tax as cars become more efficient and more cars are electric. Partly as a result, ODOT has cut its budget for maintenance and operations by 5% and another cut of 10% may be coming. [Oregonian]
Shootings Related to Gangs, Homelessness
Portland Police tell KPTV that half of shootings are related to gangs and that another 30-50% are related to people experiencing homelessness. It’s not clear if they’re talking about victims or shooters, but it’s in line with past reporting on the number of Portland murder victims who are unhoused. Both populations are reluctant to talk to investigators, says Portland Police. [KPTV]
8 Overdoses in 2 Days
There were eight overdose deaths from Friday to Sunday, and police issued a warning that a batch of cocaine appears to be dangerous: It may be pure fentanyl or cocaine laced with fentanyl. [KOIN]
E-Bike Tax Credits Under Consideration
Bike Portland’s Jonathan Maus discusses why the Legislature and the city are weighing tax rebates for bikes with pedal-assisted electric motors. [City Cast Portland 🎧]
Where Is It?
The muralist Calm favors vivid geometric murals that brighten Portland, including at the Cartopia food cart pod on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard and 12st Street. A shout-out to reader Ben Sharp, who identified the spot and wrote: “Check out CALM and FLASH’s colabs all over town!”
And here’s a scavenger hunt for the heat. Maybe you want to visit sometime soon! Email me if you know the location.
What To Do
Nick Waterhouse | Wednesday | 8 p.m.
The singer-songwriter’s latest album “The Fooler's Lounge” is somewhere between R&B, garage, and soul. Waterhouse describes it as the story of a city that he knows intimately but also maybe never existed. [$20, Humboldt]
Tom Hanks in Conversation | Thursday | 7:30 p.m.
All-around pleasant fellow and world-famous actor is now a novelist. He’ll discuss his fictional account of moviemaking. [$72, Downtown]
UFO Fest | Thursday - Saturday | Various
A festival to honor a 1950s UFO sighting and photo in McMinnville, the annual UFO convention spans the gamut from sci-fi movies, to the true believer, to the costume party. [Free/$25+, McMinnville]
Today on City Cast
Oregon Wants To Help You Buy a New E-Bike
The city and state are looking at offering rebates for people who purchase bikes with pedal-assisted electric motors. They can help you get across town without breaking a sweat and, hopefully, reduce your car dependence. Will Portland embrace the possible new influx of e-bikes zipping through our bike lanes? Today on City Cast Portland, we’re talking with Bike Portland editor Jonathan Maus about the future of e-bike incentives and how they could radically change our city.
These are car replacements you’re seeing. If you go to any school in Portland, people picking up their kids are gonna have these cargo e-bikes and they can put two, three kids on ’em.
We had some unseasonably warm 90-degree weather. The heat will continue this week even if it’s not expected to be quite so hot. Keep cool!
—Rachel Monahan
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